Method for processing an audiovisual content and corresponding device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method for processing an audiovisual content aiming to censure scenes called sensitive scenes, for example scenes comprising sex and/or violence, in the audiovisual content and a device implementing the method. According to the invention, the display of a sensitive scene of the audiovisual content is replaced, during the temporal interval intended for the display of said sensitive segment, by the reproduction of audio-description data of the audio-description signal that is usually intended for blind or visually impaired persons.

This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. §119 of FR PatentApplication 1161932, filed 19 Dec. 2011.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to a method for processing an audiovisualcontent aiming to censure certain scenes of an audiovisual content. Morespecifically the invention relates to pre-recorded audiovisual contents(television programme, film).

Among these audiovisual contents, some may contain scenes that areinappropriate for a young public, for example scenes of a sexual orviolent nature. These scenes can shock or disturb a young public. Forthis reason, a warning signage was created, specifically in France, toindicate the target audience to viewers of the television programme orfilm being diffused. This signage is in the form of pictograms displayedon the bottom right of the screen. The display of this signage informsthe public of the content type but does not prevent viewing of thecontent.

In addition, parental control systems have also been developed to blockpartial or total access to these audiovisual contents. Among thesesystems, some were designed to skip sequences of audiovisual contentinappropriate for young viewers. The main disadvantage of these systemsis that they introduce a loss of information for the viewer as thesequences that are inappropriate for young viewers are deleted. Thecomprehension of the scenario is thus rendered more difficult for theviewer. For example, if a combat scene is skipped in which an actorloses an arm, the viewer can then be confused, or disorientated when thenext scene is displayed showing the actor with one arm amputated thoughthis same actor was fine in the preceding scene. This scene deletion isalso uncomfortable for the viewer as this latter does not know who cutthe arm of the actor or how it happened. What is even more disturbing isthat the viewer doesn't even know if the response to his questions iscontained in the deleted scenes. In fact, the combat scene could havebeen filmed in a way so that the viewer does not see who cut the arm ofthe actor.

To overcome this loss of information, it is known via the document U.S.Pat. No. 6,115,057 to replace each sensitive sequence by a textdescribing the action that takes place during said sequence. The text isdisplayed in the place of the inappropriate sequence during the durationof the sequence. The viewer thus has all the information available andnecessary for the comprehension of the scenario. This text can betransmitted in the video frames.

In this method of the prior art, the text displayed during the deletedsequence comprises however a relatively low quantity of words,corresponding to the quantity of words that the viewer can read duringthe duration of the deleted sequence. This quantity of words is evenlower if the text is addressed more specifically at a young public. Thequantity of words displayed must therefore be limited to what a child oradolescent can read over the duration of the deleted sequence. Even ifthis text is then voice synthesized, the quantity of informationtransmitted to the viewer remains limited and may be insufficient toproperly describe the content of the deleted sequence.

It is further known from document U.S. 2004/205334 a method and a systemfor screening offensive material in a digital transmission. A computerprogram code within the radio modifies the digital transmission byblanking out a portion of the digital transmission where the offensivematerial code is located. Alternatively, the user-selected option mayrequest that the radio substitute the objectionable content with apre-defined insertion signal such as a tone, a sequence of tones, astored audio stream, or a stored video stream. The digital content ispresented to the user with the obscene content replaced by theuser-selected option. In this method there is no indication of a textdisplayed during the deleted sequence which properly describe thecontent of the deleted sequence.

One aim of the present invention is to propose a method enabling theviewer to be provided with sufficient information on the deletedsequence over the duration of this sequence and that it be simple andinexpensive to implement.

SUMMARY

For this purpose, the present invention proposes a method for processingan audiovisual content comprising a plurality of audiovisual segments,each of the audiovisual segments being intended to be displayed duringan associated temporal interval, said method comprising the followingsteps for:

-   -   detecting among said audiovisual segments at least one        audiovisual segment responding to the predetermined criterion,        called a sensitive segment,    -   displaying sequentially on a screen said audiovisual segments        with the exception of said at least one sensitive segment,

notable in that it further comprises the following steps for:

-   -   acquiring an audio-description signal associated with the        audiovisual content and synchronized on said audiovisual        content, the audio-description signal comprising data called        audio-description data describing the events appearing in the        audiovisual content, and    -   reproducing, during the temporal interval provided for the        display of said at least one sensitive segment, the        audio-description data of the audio-description signal.

Thus, according to the invention, the audio-description signal that isnormally intended for blind or poor-sighted people is reproduced duringthe temporal interval initially intended for the display of thesensitive sequence.

This audio-description signal is synchronised on the video and describesvia audio data, called audio-description data, the content of sequencesof the film or programme. The fact that the audio signal is generateddirectly, and not by vocal synthesis as in the prior art, enables, asconcerns the quantity of information transmitted, not being limited bythe reading capacity of the viewer.

The audio-description signal also has the advantage of being alreadyavailable for numerous films and/or programmes. The implementation ofthe method thus does not require that the equipment for the diffusion ofthe film or audiovisual programme be equipped with additional means orthat the supports used to store the audiovisual content compriseadditional tracks other than the audio-description track.

Finally, the use of this audio-description signal guarantees the use ofan appropriate language that does not risk adversely affecting the youngpublic.

According to a particular embodiment, the detection of the sensitivesegment is carried out manually using a user interface.

According to another embodiment, the detection of the sensitive segmentis carried out automatically.

According to a particular embodiment, the audiovisual segmentsresponding to the predetermined criterion are audiovisual segmentscomprising physical or verbal violence and/or sex.

The present invention also relates to a reproduction device foraudiovisual content comprising a plurality of audiovisual segments, eachof the audiovisual segments being intended for display during anassociated temporal interval, comprising:

-   -   acquisition means of said audiovisual content and an        audio-description signal associated with the audiovisual content        and synchronised on said audiovisual content, the        audio-description content comprising data called        audio-description data describing the events appearing in the        audiovisual content,

characterized in that it also comprises:

-   -   means for detecting among said audiovisual segments at least one        audiovisual segment responding to the predetermined criterion,        called a sensitive segment,    -   means for deleting said sensitive segment in the audiovisual        content, and    -   means for reproducing audiovisual segments excepting said at        least one sensitive segment and, during the temporal interval        provided for the displaying of said at least one sensitive        segment, for reproducing audio data of the audio-description        signal.

According to a particular embodiment, the means for detecting areconstituted by a user interface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood, and other aims, details,characteristics and advantages will appear more clearly over the courseof the detailed description which follows in referring below to thefigures in the appendix, showing in:

FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of the steps of the method according to theinvention, and

FIG. 2 schematic block diagram of a device capable of implementing themethod of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to the invention, it is proposed to replace the display ofsensitive sequences of an audiovisual content with the reproduction ofaudio data from an audio-description signal associated with saidaudiovisual content.

The audio-description signal is known as an aid for blind or visuallyimpaired persons to facilitate their comprehension of a programme orfilm. The audio description provides a description on the events takingplace in the audiovisual content. This signal is synchronised on thevideo signal. In the case of a terrestrial broadcast of the audiovisualcontent, the audio-description signal is transmitted at the same time asthe audiovisual content. This audio-description signal is possiblypre-mixed with the principal audio component of the broadcast programme.In the case of an audiovisual content stored on a support such as a DVD,the audio-description signal is provided on an additional track of thesupport.

According to the invention, the audiovisual sequences responding to apre-determined criterion, for example the sequences comprising sexand/or violence, known as sensitive sequences, are not displayed and, intheir place, the audio-description signal associated with theaudiovisual content is read during the temporal interval initiallyintended for the display of these sequences. Thus the viewer acquiresvia the audio-description signal information describing the sequencethat is not displayed and enabling him to correctly follow theprogression of the audiovisual content. The audio data of theaudio-description signal are not dialogues. There is therefore no riskthat these data comprise phrases or words that could be assimilated withverbal violence.

In reference to FIG. 1, the method of the invention comprises a step S1intended to detect from among the audiovisual segments of theaudiovisual content, a sensitive sequence comprising for example sexand/or violence. According to step S2, if the audiovisual sequence thatis playing is not a sensitive sequence, then it is reproduced.Otherwise, if a sensitive sequence is detected in step S1, during thetemporal interval, the audio-description data of the audio-descriptionsignal are reproduced (step S4), the acquisition signal having beenpreviously acquired during a preceding step S3.

The detection of sensitive sequences can be operated manually by meansof a user interface. For example, when the parents are watchingtelevision with their children, one of the parents presses a “censure”button of the remote control, this button being programmed to stop thedisplay of images that are playing and the reproduction of thecorresponding sound and replace them by the reproduction of theaudio-description signal. The parent presses the “censure” button againwhen the audio-description data indicate that the sensitive sequence isended to return to the normal display of the audiovisual content. Thisdetection can also be carried out during a pre-viewing of theaudiovisual content by the parents. Over the course of this pre-viewing,the parents mark or timestamp the start and the end of the sensitivesequences. An option called the censure option in the reproductiondevice of the audiovisual content is responsible for replacing themarked sequences with the audio-description signal. When this option isactivated in the video player, the replacement of marked scenes is thenautomatic for later viewing of the content. Thus, even if the parentsare not present, the children can view the audiovisual content in whichthe sensitive sequences will be automatically replaced by theaudio-description.

In a variant, the detection of sensitive sequences can be carried outautomatically by known detection methods, for example by the violencedetection method described in the document “Person-on-Person ViolenceDetection in Video Data”, A. Datta, M. Shah and N. V. Lobo, IEEEinternational Conference on Pattern Recognition, Canada, 2002.

According to a variant of the invention, a set of sensitive sequencestemporally close can be assimilated to the detection of a singlesensitive sequence of a duration corresponding to the time intervalbetween the start of the first sequence detected and the end of thelast. With this objective, the minimal viewing time of non-sensitivesequences between two sensitive sequences is determined. If thisdetermined time is not reached, a re-grouping between the precedingsensitive zone, the intermediate non-sensitive zone and the nextsensitive zone is carried out and the audio-description data of theaudio-description signal are reproduced over the temporal intervalassociated with this regrouping.

The purpose of the method and the device described above is to censureviolent or sex scenes from the audiovisual content. Naturally, themethod can be adapted to censure other types of scenes, for examplescenes comprising persons who are smoking or drinking. The step ofdetection is then to be adapted according to the censure criterionretained. If scenes comprising persons drinking are to be censured, thenthe method described in the document titled “Retrieving actions inmovies” I. Laptev and P. Perez, ICCV, 2007 for example can be used.

FIG. 2 shows the block diagram of an audiovisual content reproductiondevice in accordance with the invention. It comprises means foracquisition 11 of the audiovisual content and the audio-descriptionsignal. The audiovisual content and the audio-description signal can bereceived from a network, for example the DTT (Digital TerrestrialTelevision) network, or from a DVD. The device also comprises means fordetection 12 to detect sensitive segments. As indicated previously, itcan be a user interface comprising a programmed “censure” button. Thedevice comprises means 13 to delete detected sensitive segments. Andfinally, it comprises means 14 to reproduce audiovisual segments thatare not sensitive and, during the temporal interval originally intendedfor the reproduction of sensitive segments, to reproduce audio data ofthe audio-description signal.

According to a variant of the invention, the set of audiovisual data ofnon-sensitive segments and the audio data of the audio-description datafor the sensitive segments can be recorded on any support such as aunique data stream responding to certain determined sensitivitycriteria. The indication of these criteria can in this case be indicatedon the recording support.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for processing audiovisual contenthaving a plurality of audiovisual segments, each of the audiovisualsegments being intended to be displayed during an associated temporalinterval, said method comprising: detecting among said audiovisualsegments at least one audiovisual segment responding to a sensitivesegment criterion, displaying sequentially on a screen said audiovisualsegments with the exception of said at least one sensitive segment,wherein the displaying further comprises: acquiring an audio-descriptionsignal associated with the audiovisual content and synchronized on saidaudiovisual content, the audio-description signal comprisingaudio-description data describing the events appearing in said at leastone sensitive segment in the audiovisual content, and being normallyintended for blind or visually impaired persons, and outputting, duringthe temporal interval intended for the display of said at least onesensitive segment, the audio-description data of the audio descriptionsignal; wherein a grouping together of several sensitive segments aswell as intermediary periods is assimilated into a single sensitivesegment.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection ofthe sensitive segment is carried out manually using a user interface. 3.The method according to claim 1, wherein the detection of the sensitivesegment is carried out automatically.
 4. The method according to claim1, wherein the audiovisual segments responding to the predeterminedcriterion are audiovisual segments which comprise physical or verbalviolence and/or sex.
 5. A reproduction device for audiovisual contenthaving a plurality of audiovisual segments, each of the audiovisualsegments being intended for display during an associated temporalinterval, the device comprising: a demodulator circuit for acquiringsaid audiovisual content and an audio-description signal associated withthe audiovisual content and synchronized on said audiovisual content,the audio-description signal comprising audio-description datadescribing the events appearing in said at least one sensitive segmentin the audiovisual content, and being normally intended for blind orvisually impaired persons; the demodulator circuit further comprising:control circuitry configured to: detect among said audiovisual segmentsat least one audiovisual segment constituting a sensitive segment; anddelete said sensitive segment in the audiovisual content, and outputaudiovisual segments excepting said at least one sensitive segment and,during the temporal interval intended for the displaying of said atleast one sensitive segment, output audio data associated with theaudio-description signal; wherein a grouping together of severalsensitive segments as well as intermediary periods is assimilated into asingle sensitive segment.
 6. The reproduction device according to claim5, wherein the control circuitry comprises a user interface.
 7. Thereproduction device according to claim 5, wherein an audiovisual segmentconstituting sensitive segments includes content depicting physical orverbal violence and/or sex.